


Rescue

by LlamaLlamaNewt



Series: Superheroes like Coffee Too [2]
Category: Fantastic Four, Marvel, Marvel Comics - Fandom, Norse Religion & Lore, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies), X-Men - All Media Types, post-avengers - Fandom
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, Canon Disabled Character, Canonical Child Abuse, Deaf Clint Barton, Human Disaster Clint Barton, Injury Recovery, Loki's Kids, Loki's Lips Sewn Shut, Loki's Punishments, Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One Compliant, Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Two Compliant, Multi, Mutants, Natasha Romanoff to the rescue, Not Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Compliant, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Odin's A+ Parenting, References to Norse Religion & Lore, Rescue Missions, Teleportation, Thor Is Not Stupid, Thor Is a Good Bro, Tony Is a Good Bro, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-01
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-03-20 19:20:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3661932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LlamaLlamaNewt/pseuds/LlamaLlamaNewt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor returns to Midgard with some grave news concerning his brother's punishment post-Avengers, and the Avengers decide to intervene, because justice is one thing, but Asgardian justice... well, it isn't very just.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Odin has a Masters Degree in Douchbagery

**Author's Note:**

> These are the selections taken from my other story Nadine's Coffee that got a bit out of hand. I'm separating the plots to make this a bit less confusing. I appologize.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor returns to Midgard with some troubling news, and the Avengers, and others, take immediate action.

**Chapter One**

  


"Sir, there is an energy signature triangulating over the tower presently," Jarvis said interrupting Tony's tinkering.

Tony's head flew up from his work, panicked. "Say what now J?" Tony responded pulling up the info on his holoscreen as it appeared in front of him.

JARVIS pulled up the relevant data on the screen. "It appears Prince Thor is about to return, Sir. The energy signature matches that of Dr. Foster's notes on the New Mexico incident."

"Oh, is that all?" Tony replied. "Jeeze, you scared me J. Roll out the welcome mat. You know the protocol."

"Of course Sir."

"I'll meet him upstairs momentarily."

\---

 

When Tony got upstair, we was surprised to see a very different Thor from the one who left a year before. His hair was longer, and he looked ruffled and angry, as well as tired. But not just like he hadn't slept, but as if he was exhausted from seeing something horrible and mentally taxing. He wasn't dressed in his regal armour and cape, but rather a simple tunic and breeches as well as boots, and his magic hammer, of course.

"Greeting Friend Anthony," Thor greeted, his voice just reinforced Tony's observations.

"Long time no see Thor. What brings you to my humble abode?" Tony greeted back, indicating Thor towards the couch, shutting the door to the landing pad behind him.

"I come to ask a favour of you my friend."

"What kind of favour?" Tony asked carefully.

"I was hoping you would give me lodgings for a time." Thor sounded lost.

"Oh, you have a whole apartment in the building," Tony said flippantly, trying to lighten the seriousness in Thor's voice and posture. "All of the Avengers do, just in case there's another crisis and we all needed to be in one place quickly?"

"You are too kind my friend," Thor said.

"Don't worry about it, now want to tell me what's really eating you?" Tony said looking at Thor pointedly.

"Are you aware of the events with Jane Foster recently?"

"Oh, the crazy magic physics in London, yeah. I heard rumours."

"There were events in Asgaard. My mother was killed protecting my Lady Jane from invaders. Loki nearly died helping me save Jane as well..."

"He helped you?"

"Yes. He... Had reasons to want out of that prison, even if only for a short time. He was also distraught over the death of our mother."

"What kind of reasons?"

"My father had him locked in our strongest prison, stripped him of his magic, and had him punished to the furthest extend of our laws."

"Your father had his own son tortured?" Tony said appaled.

"To my great shame. He will not listen to my council, and I fear following my mother's death, he will listen to none."

"So you left your brother to his punishment?" Tony asked angrily.

"I came to save his children from my father's wrath. He feels Loki will truly be repentant if he feels a pain equal to his own."

"What?! Are you saying your father would torture his own grandchildren?!" And Tony thought  _he'd_  had daddy issues.

Thor nodded gravely.

"Say no more big guy, you've got my help. Whatever you need, if it's in my power, I'll help you. If it's not, I'll find someone who can."

"You are more than generous my friend. You have my eternal thanks."

"If there's one thing I don't stand for, its child abuse. I may not be a good guy all the time, but I don't stand by the persecution of innocent children. So, tell me more about your mysterious nieces and or nephews."

"I do not know much. There were a secret to me until recently. I only know their names, and a few of their locations. My fat-" Thor paused shaking his head sadly. "Odin forbade Loki from speaking about them. He could not have told me even if he'd wanted to."

Tony stared at Thor understanding his appearance now. Tony really wanted to rip this so called "All Father" a new one. What an  _asshole!_

"Well, what are their names? Tell me what you know."

"There is Sleipnir, the oldest, sired by Svaðilfari but born of Loki, the there is Fenrir, Jörmangandr, and Hel, born of the sorceress Angrboða before her betrayal of Loki and Asgard."

"Wait, Loki had his own kids? Like, physically gave birth to one of them?"  _Fucking magic,_  Tony thought.

"Indeed. It is partly because of his magic, as well as his ability to change shape. I am not privy to all the details, though I am saddened that I cannot go back and aid my brother in their births and with their care. Odin has truly wronged these children all their lives."

Tony nodded numbly.

"I know the exact locations of Jörmungandr and Sleipnir, and only rumours of Hel and Fenrir's locations."

"So why come back to earth then?" Tony asked confused.

"Jörmungandr is here on Midgard. Sleipnir... is under guard of Odin himself, and I do not have the power to take him from him alone without possibly causing him injury. And I would prefer to only have to invade my city once and take back both Loki and his eldest son, or getting back into Asgard the second time will be impossible without casualties."

As Thor spoke, Tony has grabbed a tablet from the side table and had begun opening information and mythologies to see if he could find any helpful information, as well as alert Bruce and the other to Thor's return and of the impending rescue missions. "What do you need to get Jör, is it okay I call him Jör? I'm not savvy with the Norwegian or Asgaardian or whatever."

"He is in a cavern in Midgaard's ocean. He is guarded by powerful runes, if what Loki conveyed to me is to be believed."

Tony nodded. "He has no reason to lie about his kids. Okay, so we'll have to get a hold of Strange, but Bruce knows how to do that, and I'll have to rig up some pressurized stuff depending on where the cavern is... Anything else important to know about Jör?"

"He takes the form of a serpent, and a large one by now I should think."

"Right. Magic," Tony said blinking. "Okay, so we may need somewhere out of the city to house these kids. I may have to talk to Xavier... Maybe he'll have some resources..." Tony was tapping away at his tablet as we talked. "Leave it to me big guy, we'll find Jör, then we'll locate Fen and Hel, and then we'll plan the invasion of Asgard to rescue baby daddy and heir. So, I'll contact my people, and while I do that, you contact Jane and ask her if she wants to science party here with Bruce and I. She's gonna get to build that bridge of hers."

Thor nodded. "Would you permit me to use your telephone?"

"Mi casa es su casa. What's mine is yours big guy. Make yourself at home," Tony said already emailing Xavier and Strange, as well as Richards.

"I appreciate your hospitality my friend. You are more than generous," Thor said seriously.

Tony just waved away the thanks, his mind focused on his tablet and finding a way to get to Jörmangandr. Thor left him to it, took Tony's hand held phone from its dock and moved towards the window to call the only other person in Midgard he hoped would help him. While Jane was usually too involved with her research to remember where her phone was (according to Darcy, and Thor's own observations) he had promised to remember Darcy's cell phone number in case he ever needed to contact them. It was this number he now called, hoping Darcy wasn't far from Jane, or that she would know how to contact her directly.

"This is Darcy!" Darcy greeted in her chipper voice.

"Hello Darcy, how are you my voluptuous friend?" Thor greeted back, his mood warmed by her vibrant attitude.

There was a pause. "Thor? Oh my  _god_ , Thor is that you?" Darcy yelled excitedly. "I am fantastic! When did you get back? Where are you?" She asked in rapid sequence.

"It is indeed I my friend. I have only just returned to Midgard. I am currently in New York with Anthony Stark. It is good to hear you are well."

"You don't sound like you are. Is everything okay? Do I have to taser someone?"

Thor laughed lightly. "Envisioning you tasering my father is indeed a sight to behold my friend, however, I actually am calling for a more immediate matter. Are you still in the company of my Lady Jane?"

"Your father? What? Okay, um, yeah, I'm still helping out Jane, why? You want to talk to her?"

"I would indeed my friend. Though I promise to explain everything to you in due time as well. Please don't feel like I'm leaving you out."

"I expect the story later. I'll hold you to that. I'll just get Jane for you, okay?"

"Alright."

A moment later a softer voice came on the phone, sounding exasperated. Thor guessed that Darcy must not have told Jane who was calling. "Hello?"

"Greeting my Lady," Thor said grinning for the first time in what felt like months.

"Thor?  _Thor?_  Is that really you? Oh my gosh I'm going to  _kill_  Darcy! Thor!" Jane said in a rush.

"It is indeed I Jane. I hope you are faring well."

"I am much better, oh my gosh, it is so good to hear your voice! Why are you back here so soon? I thought Asgard needed you in the wake of Frigg's absence..." Jane trailed off, sounding sad to remember. The Queen had been kind to her.

"This is why I have returned. My father has done something unforgivable, and I ask for your aid in a quest."

"Me? You want me? But-"

"Indeed." Thor interrupted Jane's uncertainty. "I need your brilliant mind Jane. I need you to build me a bridge."

"What about Heimdallr?" Jane questioned.

"He knows what I am planning, and will not betray me, but he can not disobey my father and open the gates to an attacking force."

Jane was silent for a moment. "I'm helping you attack Asgard?" She questioned in a low voice.

"Aye."

"Why?"

"We're returning a favour, but I can tell you better in person."

"Where are you? I'll be there as soon as possible."

"No need to worry my lady. Friend Anthony has made arrangements."

"Anthony? As in Tony Stark?"

"The very same," Thor confirmed.

"Tell me where to meet him and I'll be there as soon as he needs me to be."

"Many thanks Jane."

"Anything for you Thor. Anything."

So they arranged Tony's jet, with Tony butting in, and Thor promised to see Jane soon.

"It will be good to see you. I have much to share with you my Lady."

"I will see you shortly," Jane said in a low voice, sounding as if she wanted to say more. Thor had more he wanted to say to her as well, but here was not the time nor the place. These were things to say in person, not over a line of electricity.

Thor hung up the phone and stared out the large windows at the New York skyline. It was good to be back on. Midgard, and he couldn't make himself miss Asgard more than to regret leaving Loki and Sleipnir in Odin's hands. "Heimdallr. Please keep them from harm if you can. Forgive me for betraying my station." Thor whispered staring up at the sky. He hoped Heimdallr was listening.

\---

Charles was checking his emails, noticing some from former students, a few from professors at various universities, as well as some from parents checking in on their children.

There was a recent one however that aurprised him. It was from a one A. Stark at Stark Industries. Why would Anthony Stark be contacting him? Curious, he opened the email, and his face grew grim as he read. He called telepathically to Ororo, Jean, Scott and Logan, summoning them to his office.

Charles adressed the four of the without looking away from his computer screen, his brow furrowed. "Are the four of you able to travel to New York within the next few days?"

"What about classes?" Ororo asked.

"I will take up teaching them if I must, but I have been asked a favour of an unexpected person, and I feel that we may be able to help."

"You look grouchier than usual old man," Logan growled. "What's the issue?"

"We have a few very... Unique children being threatened by a very powerful being. I don't have all the details, but the person asking for us has promised to share the details if we agree to help. This is a very serious, and potentially dangerous situation," he responded, finally looking up at the four of them.

"Professor, who is asking us for help?" Jean asked.

"Tony Stark and Prince Thor of Asgard."

"Stark?" Scott scoffed.

"The Avengers?" Ororo said concerned. "Why would then have children..."

"I believe it has something to do with Thor," Charles responded. "They have asked us for help, and. I feel they are sincere. I've recieved confirmation from Stephen Strange that he will also be aiding in this situation."

"Strange?" Logan said surprised. "If its serious enough to get the crazy sorcerer involved I'll help. I don't know how much good I'll be though."

Charles nodded. "And the rest of you?"

Ororo nodded. "Of course."

Jean and Scott looked at each other and nodded, "When do we leave?" Scott said.

"First thing tomorrow. Keep me aprised of the situation and if you feel any of the students can be of use, let me know. They could use with a change of scene, and some practical experience."

The four of them nodded before leaving.

Ororo lingered. "Professor, are we potentially dealing with gods and aliens here?"

"I'm afraid so my dear. Be cautious."

"Of course," she responded before leaving.

Charles looked at the email again, brow furrowing before opening another email and contacting someone he hadn't asked a favour of in a long time. He hoped they'd be willing to set aside old grudges and help spare four children and their father a terrible fate.

\---


	2. Appearances are Decieving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet Hela, Dr. Stephen Strange, and the gang get in on the action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coincides with chapters 9-10 of Nadine's Coffee.

Hel had her own magic, given to her by both the blood of her mother and the blood of her father. It was due to this magic that she knew that her uncle, whom she had never met, was looking for her. She had decided to send him a message to ease his search. She knew that he would need a sorcerer to undo Odin's caging spell to allow her brother's to be freed from their prisons. Odin did not yet realize but Hel could leave if she so chose. The dead would be fine her without her, and she could easily appoint the important jobs off to her guards and some of the loyal souls under her care. This would allow her to help her uncle and his Shield Brethren aid her older brothers and her father in their escape.

Due to the nature of her magic, Hel had matured much faster than her brothers out of necessity. She knew her father had regretted her lack of a true childhood. She did not blame him, but she did mourn its loss with him. Loki had lost his youth and innocence due to Sleipnir's birth and her mother's betrayal. Hel had matured out of necesity, and the responsibility of being cast into the Underworld. Besides, the dead were not cruel to her. She took her position in the underworld with pride. Her fate had not harmed her like her father's had harmed him. Fate had not been as kind to any of her kin as it had been to her, and Hel knew that this was due to Odin's cruelty and interference. 

Hel was pleased that her uncle now knew at least part of the truth, and was willing to help her father. It was not going to be easy, but she knew it would be worth it in the end. Her father deserved this small bit of happiness in his life after all of the sadness, and her brothers deserved part of their childhoods and the rest of their lives free from chains and fear of pain or death. 

If her grandfather did not die in battle, All Father or not, the Valkyries would not get his soul despite their wishes. He would be Hel's for eternity. He  _would_  know punishment for all of his many errors over his many years of life and her brother's death. Her family's pain would be avenged. 

There were few sorcerers of high caliber in the Nine Realm. With her mother, Father and late grandmother out of the picture, Hel began looking to other Sorcerers Supreme for aid. One of these Sorcerers Supreme in particular would work perfectly if she could contact him. His name was Strange, and he had a young apprentice, Wiccan, who might also be of use in freeing her brothers. Strange along could prove to be powerful enough to free her brothers on Midgard, and with the Avengers' help, they would take Asgard. 

 

\---

Loki had slept uneasily when he managed to sleep at all in the last few months. His youngest son's last moments haunted him, and it was because of this that he was surprised when he opened his eyes onto a dream world. He had been unable to shape his own dreams for months with his magic locked away from him. He scanned his surroundings, taking in the encroaching darkness that should have been frightening. This was not a darkness that Loki feared however. This darkness and shadow was welcoming. Loki relaxed as it edged closer. He was safe here.

"Hela," he greeted the figure who emerged from the shadow.

"Greetings father," Hel responded, her form emerging from the darkness as if from the fog. The darkness shifted around her, obscuring half of her form, her two-toned hair falling over half of her face to her waist. 

"You look well."

"I wish I could say the same of you," Hel responded sadly.

"I am fine."

"Do not lie to me Father," Hel said sternly, approaching Loki and raised her hand to rest gently on his face. Her thumb rubbed over the scarring on his lips. Her magic could remove the stitching her in her dreamworld, and the pain that came with it, but she could not remove the evidence that it would be there when it woke. Just as she could free Loki from his son's blood, but not the memory of it on his skin.

"Do you realize how lucky you are Father?" Hel asked brushing Loki's dirty, limp hair back from his face, continuing her inspection of his injuries. 

"Lucky?" Loki scoffed miserably. 

"Yes Father. Lucky that your brother loves you so much."

"He is misguided," Loki replied bitterly.

"No, you are," Hel responded, her presence looming momentarily, her one flesh and one bone hand cupping his face. Her presence shrank back, the shadows retreating back to her sides. "You are so blinded by your hatred of the All Father that you forget your brother was lied to just as you were," She said in a soft voice.  _You did some of the lying yourself._  "Even now he plans with his shield brethren to release you, and us. His friend Stark, the smith, is in contact with Midgard's Sorcerer Supreme." Hel paused. "Father, once they release the three of us, your brother plans to invade Asgard."

"He what?"

"In order to release you and Sleipnir, Thor is ready to challenge Odin."

"Then he is a greater fool than I had previously thought."

Hel grabbed her Father's chin, locking gazes with him. Loki looked back, staring into her one green and one white eye. "You are the fool. You asked him for help, and then scoffs when he follows through. Father, he loves you. His friends are willing to forgive your past digressions in the recievance of knowledge of your torture. You did not tell Thor of Nari. That alone would have angered him. The Midgardians wanted justice, not cruelty Father. Once they know the truth of Nari and the Chitauri-"

"They will never know," Loki interrupted.

"You think you can stop me from telling them the truths that the Lady Death, and my own position as a Keeper have imparted to me?" Hel smiled challengingly. "I learned from you Father. They  _will_  know the truth, and you will not be punished for something out of your control, just as they did not punish the Hawk for actions that were beyond his."

"That was still my fault."

"I did not prevent you from dying in Svartalfheim only for you to be once again mislead by  _Odin All Father_. I did not save your life for you to let Odin control yours by threatening your children. Your words are the product of many months in Odin's dungeon."

"Hela, my sweet daughter, I have wronged a great many people, and I am facing justice for it."

"This is not justice!" Hel spat angrily. "You will be judged judiciously when you die. I will make sure of this Father, and you know it.  _This_ , is a farse of justice, as Odin well knows. Killing an innocent to torture another is not justice. He will regret this," Hel promised.

Loki bowed his head, resting it on Hel's bone shoulder. "You are mature and wise beyond your years. It is not fair."

"It was necessary," Hel responded embracing her father. "Odin gave me the gifts that he thought were punishments. He will only realize his mistake when it is too late."

"Say Thor's plan works then," Loki started.

"It will."

" _If_  it does," Loki continued as if Hel hadn't interrupted, lifting his head from her shoulder and looking her in the face once more. "Will you stay with your other brothers for a while?"

"And you, yes. And when I can not stay any longer, I will visit often," Hel promised. "It will be good to see you all happy and together," Hel said with a crooked smile.

"Your optimism is almost inspiring," Loki said sadly.

"Apparently not inspiring enough," Hel responded wryly.

"How long do we have left?" Loki asked sadly.

"A while yet. Come, walk with me. It's been a while since you've just visited my realm," Hel said linking her arm with her father's.

"I apologize Lady of Hel," Loki said smiling softly, his face marred unfortunately by the scars, but Hel was glad to see the smile there nonetheless. Her father needed something peaceful in his life, even for a short while. "Show me what wonders you have to marvel me with since my last visit."

Hel grinned. "There are some I would have you meet Loki Liesmith," Hel said leading Loki into the warm dark fog. "I feel you will appreciate their humour and wit."

Loki nodded. 

"There is another who wishes to say a proper farewell," Hel said slowly.

Loki looked at her, fear in his eyes. He had not hoped to be able to say goodbye to his son one last time. He had not thought to hope to see him after the horror of his death, and the desecration of his body. "Lead the way my child."

"Gladly Father."

Loki woke later back in his cell, a small smile curling the edges of his lips despite the thick thread binding them together crudely. The corpse of his son that was used to bind him in blood magic instead of chains, no longer haunted him. Instead, his son's final smile for him before Loki happily released his soul for the final time into Hela's kind hands was in the forefront of his mind. Hela would take care of her brother. Nari was at peace in Death's embrace, and so Loki would not dwell on his death and the desecration of his body. 

Odin had one less method to torture Loki with now. 

 

\---

Stephen Strange was used to odd occurrences. It came with the territory of being Earth's Sorceror Supreme. His week had been very odd indeed however. First, he'd been contacted by Tony Stark on behalf of Prince Thor of Asgard. That itself was surprise enough, especially considering the request was to help track down the Midgard Serpent Jörmangandr and the legendary Wolf Fenrir, as well as Odin's own War Horse Sleipnir. 

Strange was sceptical of the validity of the request until one night he was pulled out of his own meditations, and into another's. He found himself standing in an obscured space, dark smoke-like fog shrouding his feet and his surroundings. As he looked around himself, he noticed a figure walking towards him through the fog. It was a young woman, holding herself regally. Her hair fell to her waist in gentle waves, and was parted down the middle and the left half was black as pitch, the right half a deep red. Her left side was shrouded by her hair, but he could see the bones peaking beneath the skin on that side, her smile half teeth, half lip. Her form shimmered, as if beneath a glamour, changing from moment to moment, half dead, half alive. She wore a deep emerald green gown that was long and heavy, falling past her wrists and to the ground where it disappeared into the fog that seemed to swirl around her. 

"I did not expect to be summoned by one of the Keepers of the Dead," Stephen said. 

The young woman smiled. "As I did not expect to summon a Sorceror Supreme. Dr. Strange," she greeted, tilting her head into a bow.

"My Lady Hel. How can I be of service?"Strange asked carefully.

"You've recieved correspondance from one Mr. Anthony Stark, correct?"

"Yes," he responded causiously.

"And what say you in response?"

Strange paused. "It is a sincere request then, from Prince Thor himself?" 

"From Prince Loki himself," Hel corrected smiling knowingly.

"Loki is imprisioned."

"Aye," she agreed darkly. "In Odin's own dungeons."

"You mean for Stark and Thor to succeed in freeing him."

"Did Stark tell you the whole story?"

"I'm going to assume not."

"Then allow me," Hel said, holding out her hand to the magician in invitation. 

Strange took it and was swept along in her meories of events as well as the stories that had been relayed to her as she searched for the truth. He was angered by the tale her memories wove. They told of her brother's births, her own, their lack of childhoods, their imprisonments due to Odin's fear of prohpecies, and her father's own mistreatment at the hands of his adopted father. Her one brother's death at the hands of Odin and his fuards, and the mistreatment of his body as his entrails were used to hold the binding magic currently holding Loki captive. It was over after a moment, and Hel stepped back once more.

Strange stood for a moment horrified as he sifted through the newfound knowledge. "You are but a child," Strange realized. 

"I am," Hel agreed.

"Odin made a grave mistake in giving you so much power," Strange said in disbelief at Odin's foolishness.

"Aye, he did," Hel said grinning. "It is a mistake he will regret."

"Children are always the cruelest when they've been wronged," Strange agreed.

Hel just grinned devilishly in response. 

"I shall help free your brothers, and your father when the time comes," Strange vowed. "I am sorry I cannot help save the other."

"Nari is safe from Odin in my realm. He cannot be harmed ever again." Hel said. "Now, you would save them, but not me?" She asked sweetly.

"You hardly need rescuing my Lady," Strange pointed out.

Hel just laughed. "This is true. Jörmangandr will be the easiest to free, Fenrir the most difficult. Sleipnir will be easy once Asgard is infiltrated."

Strange nodded thoughtfully. "Stark does not know of Nari's fate."

"No. Father did not tell Thor. He knew Thor would not be able to handle the knowledge of Odin's cruelty. We will inform him at the right time."

Strange nodded. "I will aid Stark in the preparation of a space for your brothers and father that will be safe from most outside magics, then I will aid in their release if I am available do to so."

"Would your student be willing?"

"Wiccan? Perhaps. He and his team could be useful in this endeavour, and your brothers may react better to people of their own age, so to speak."

"Discuss it with him, and I will contact my uncle. They will have the Avenger's support if they are up to the task," Hel said. 

Strange nodded. "I should return and contact Stark."

"You know where to find me if something changes," Hel said. 

"It was good to finally meet you my Lady," Strange said.

"You as well Dr. Strange. Until we meet again."

Before Strange could blink, the fog began to receed, and he found himself once more in his own mind. He spent a few moments thinking over the conversation he'd just had, then went to ready himself to contact his apprentice as well as Tony Stark. 


	3. We've got a Situation boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team returns, and the greatest Marvel team-up begins.

"We have a situation boys," Natasha said checking her phone when they reached the safe house. 

"What kind of situation?" Steve asked.

"Stark is calling us in. Thor's back Stateside and needs our help with some kind of plot involving the threatening of children."

"Did he give any specifics?"

Natasha frowned. "No. He said its a debrief for in person, not via electronic means."

"How quickly can we wrap this up here?" Steve asked.

"Two point six weeks if we improve our time and efficiency by working together," James responded.

Steve looked at Natasha. She nodded in conformation. "Good. Give Stark the timeline, and let's wrap this up here."

"Awesome," Clint said from where he was laying on the floor. "Speedy Nazi hunting!"

\---

In a matter of hours, Tony's jet had gone to pick up Jane, her assistant, and Selvig and then returned to New York. Tony had gotten a now recovered Happy to go pick them up from the airport a few minutes ago. 

"Jarvis?"

"Yes Sir?" Jarvis replied.

"Get Thor down to The lab. Tell Bruce we'll be down shortly."

"Very well Sir."

"Lead Jane and the gang there when they get here too will you?"

"Of course Sir."

"Thanks J."

Tony made his way down to the lab from the penthouse distracted by his tablet as he replied to Richards most recent argument about Inter-dimensional Travel.

 

\---

"Dr. Foster, Ms. Lewis and Dr. Selvig are on their way down now Sirs," JARVIS alerted Tony, Bruce, and Thor where Tony was bringing up his data for the rescue mission and his information from Strange. 

"Excellent, thank you Jarvis," Tony answered glancing at the ceiling briefly. 

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Thor was striding forward arms open. "My friends!" His voice was subdued from his usual booming greeting. 

"Erik, Darcy," he said grabbing them both in a hug before releasing them to Tony's introductions of himself and Bruce. "Jane."

"Thor," she greeted back taking his face in her hands as he bent to embrace her. She rested her forehead against his, both of their eyes closed. 

Tony gave them a moment to themselves before clearing his throat and interrupting them. "I'm sorry to ruin the moment," he apologized. "But we've got work to do."

"Of course Anthony," Thor said straightening to once more tower over Jane, but keeping her tucked under his arm. 

"Dr. Foster," Tony greeted. 

"Dr. Stark, Dr. Banner."

Bruce nodded in return.

Tony winked at her, then sobered his expression. "Alright folks, we are the best and the brightest minds who also happen to be close to the situation, so we are gathered here today to plan a rescue mission and an invasion. Thor, would you share the story with us?"

"Of course," he nodded. "My friends, I have returned with grave news. Recently, as Jane knows from a visit to my home, there was an attack on Asgard. Loki was released to help save Jane, as well as to help us defeat an enemy from another world. In the battle, my mother was killed, and Loki himself nearly died shortly thereafter.

"I am sorry about your mother Thor," Bruce said. 

"Thank you friend, but that is not the worst of my grief. Following my mother's death, my father has become irrational. Loki returned from Svartelheim alive only at the behest of the Queen of Hel, and the All Father was not pleased at his survival. Loki was once more imprisoned... And... I was unable to free him from the torture that followed."

"Torture?" Darcy exclaimed. "I mean, I don't like Loki, but that sounds a bit harsh."

Thor nodded. "'Tis not the worst. I found out that Loki has children I was previously unaware of. The All Father plans to hurt them to hurt Loki more."

"And  _that_ , folks, is why we are all here. We all know Loki needed to face punishment for his actions, but children? No. So, we're going to help Thor break his three nephews and one niece from their prisons, and save Loki in the process. I think he's faced judgement for his crimes and then some."

Jane was hugging Thor's side tightly. "How could he do this?"

Thor bowed his head towards her. "Mother's death hit him harder than we at first realized."

"And how did you learn about Loki's.... Children?"

"I went to Loki before I came here. That was how I learned of the torture. Loki has suffered greatly, as have his children since their births. I wish to spare them more of this, and bring them to Midgard to hopefully finish their youth in happiness and not in chains."

"Chains?" Bruce asked.

"This is where we come in," Tony said pulling up what he,d managed to discover about each of the children. "First, we have Jör."

"Jörmangandr," Thor nodded. 

"He is imprisoned in the ocean. I think he's somewhere close to the Mariana's Trench, in some kind of magic enclosure."

"The Midgard Serpent," Erik breathed. 

"Aye," responded Thor. "I thought it naught but a story as well."

"He is but a child?" Erik asked.

"A snake in form, but a child but our standards, yes," Thor confirmed. 

"Next, we have Fenrir," Tony continued pulling up another set of data. "Wolf, but also a boy, chained using some kind of unbreakable metal in a magic cave. Dr. Strange has agreed to help us with him as well due to the magical nature of his prison."

"Is he here as well?" Erik asked.

"We haven't figured out his precise location, but we're working on it," Tony answered. "Next, we have Hel, the daughter."

"The Queen of Hel?" Erik asked.

"Yes," Thor said. 

"According to Strange she may be the easiest to free," Tony continued. And then we have Loki and his eldest, Sleipnir."

"They will be the most difficult," Thor agreed. 

"You don't mean to say that... The story is true?" Erik asked incredulously. "Odin... Uses his own grandson as a war horse?"

Thor nodded somberly. "I am appalled as well my friend."

There was a beat of silence. 

"Well of course we're going to help. That's not in question here," Darcy said angrily. "When do we start?"

"We already have," Tony responded.

\---

It had been a month and a half since Thor had returned to Earth, and the team was working hard to prepare for their rescue mission. Thankfully, there was a time difference between realms, and they could afford to take their time to get this right. Thor had assured them that they didn't have to worry about imminent action against the children or Loki from Asgard. 

Tony was just finishing the blueprints for the craft that would get them close enough to Jör's prison that Strange could break the enchantments, when he felt someone watching him. He looked up from his work and turned. He was unsurprised to see a young girl sitting on the work bench behind him, kicking her feet out in front of her.

"I'm not even going to ask how you got in here, and I'm going to assume that it has something to do with magic," Tony sighed. "I am going to ask that if you want to kill me you let me at least send this information off as a child's life depends on it."

The girl smiled widely under her hair. "Killing you Mr. Stark would be counter-productive. Your time will come, and it is not in the near future."

"That's helpful to know," Tony said leaning against the table that he'd been working against. He looked the girl over carefully noting her green eye and her two-toned hair. "You're Hela."

The girl grinned wider. "Indeed, I am. I knew you were intelligent," she said approvingly.

"I do try," Tony said wryly. "Aren't you supposed to be locked up in some Asgardian Underworld or something?"

Hel flipped her hair off her face revealing the skeletal side of her face. "I'm here to show you that I'm not. You worry about my brothers, and I will worry about myself."

"You're scary powerful, aren't you?" Tony asked mostly rhetorically. 

Hel just smiled. 

"Alright, well then... What do you think of this?" Tony asked indicating to his blueprints.

"You're going to want it slightly bigger," Hel said thoughtfully scanning the hologram. "Jörmangandr will not trust you, and he is large enough to seriously harm a mortal despite his body's current weakness. You will need to bring someone who he will trust, and someone that will be able to handle him physically if that does not work."

"Do you have any recommendations?"

"Perhaps one of your human mutants," Hel mused. "Not someone who looks like a user of magic, but someone with a physically visible mutation. Perhaps a skin colouration."

"I will contact some people."

"Indeed. He will also not take well to another prison," Hela said indicating to the terrarium.

"Okay, so, blankets instead of warm terrarium," Tony said with a nod, flicking away part of the plan. 

"Now, my uncle isn't to know I was here Stark," Hela said hopping down from the table.

"Alright, he won't," Tony agreed.

"Now, I must be off, but I shall see you shortly. Ta ta!" She waved, then disappeared in a smoky fog that dissipated as quickly as it had come, leaving no evidence of it's presence.

"Jarvis, adjust the schematics to accommodate 2 more adults."

"Of course Sir."

"Perfect. Send this off to Bruce, and open up a message to Professor Xavier."

\------


	4. Challenger Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Building of deep-sea submersibles; geniuses collaborating with mutants, superheros, sorcerers, and aliens; and Challenger Deep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this update was dso delayed. I promised you guys an update back in March, and then my mood when down the tubes. The rest of March sucked, I was depressed and stressed with Exams most of April, I nearly murdered my roommate in May, and here was are in June with me finally writing the last 1500 words of this chapter and posting it up. I know I told a few reviewers it'd be up over the weekend, and I know I'm a day late. Sorry folks!

Chapter 4: **Challenger Deep**

 

"Thor, who was Jör's mother?"

"She was a Jotun sorceress."

"Loki is Jotun, yes? You said Loki was adopted," Tony asked.

"Aye. He is originally from Jötunheimr, but raised an Asgardian. Why do you ask?"

"Do the people of Jötunheim look like Asgardians?"

"Nay. The Jötuns are a race of giants. They have deep blue skin and dark hair. They are known for their deep voices and the warriors have dark tattoos."

"Blue skin, dark hair and tattoos?" Tony confirmed. 

"Aye," Thor agreed. 

"Can Jör manipulate his form like Loki?"

Thor paused. "It... Is not impossible."

"Jör knew his mother?"

"Aye. As did his elder brother Fenrir."

"Perfect."

"What is perfect?"

"I know someone who can help us get the boys to trust us," Tony responded. "Jarvis, get Charles on the phone for me."

"Dialing now Sir."

"Thank you Jarvis," Tony said as Jarvis put the call through the speakers. Tony clicked his earpiece mic on right as a voice answered. 

"I had expected to hear from you again Tony, just not so soon."

"Good afternoon Charles. I'm sorry to bother you."

"I am here to help my dear boy. What can I do for you?"

"The blue mutant who can teleport," Tony started. "Is he still around?"

"Kurt, yes, he is. May I ask why?"

"The first child we are rescuing, his parents are from an alien planet where they have blue skin, dark hair and tattoos. Kurt is the closest we can get without having an actual Frost Giant on earth."

Charles hummed thoughtfully.

"His teleportation may also be useful as Dr. Strange is unsure how we can remove the boy from his prison without drowning him. Kurt might be able to help," Tony added.

"You think the boy will trust him?"

"More than he is going to trust the son of the man who banished him to his prison or strange humans," Tony pointed out. 

"I will talk to Kurt and have him call you, how does that sound?"

"That would be perfect, thank you Charles."

"It is not a problem my boy. I will talk to you soon."

They both hung up and Tony nodded reaching up to click off his mic.

"Alright Thor; I need you to tell me everything you can remember about Jör, his form, and what he liked. I'm going to set something up for him with Charles until we can move him to the mansion downtown.”

Thor nodded. "I will do my best to remember," Thor said taking a breath before launching into his tale.

 

\----

 

 ** _Darkness._** _so dark. **Silence.** so quiet. _   ** _Movement._** _movement? no. **Panic.** alone. so alone. so quiet. so dark. never getting out. _ Father.  _help. please! please. so quiet. **Darkness.** i'm afraid. please. anyone. please. help. _  ** _Silence._** _please. the dark. i can't.... i'm tired._   ** _Fear. Movement. Echoing Noise. Pressing Weight._**   _i can't move. please._ help me. 

 

\---

 

"Okay Jarvis, pull up the schematics for the  _Mir I_  and  _Mir II_  submersibles, as well as the  _Alvin_ ," Tony said pulling up information on his tablet about the materials he had on hand. 

"Yes Sir."

"How deep can the  _Mir_  crafts go Jarvis?" 

"Twenty thousand feet, or four thousand metres is the maximum Sir."

"And we need to reach into the Mariana's Trench, which is deeper," Tony sighed. 

"The Challenger Deep is thirty-six thousand and seventy feet, or ten thousand nine hundred and ninety-four metres Sir," JARVIS agreed. 

"Jay, the  _Alvin_  can nearly survive the vacuum of space, right?"

"According to reports Sir."

"We need to recreate that with my own materials, and make it bigger," Tony said thoughtfully. "Pull up my initial sketches Jay.”

JARVIS manipulated the holoscreen in front of Tony, pulling up 3D schematics of the two crafts, as well as the rough version of Tony’s.

“Alright,” Tony said. “We need to have a reinforced glass. What we have for the armoured vehicles and the upper floors of the labs and penthouse should work.”

As Tony spoke, JARVIS manipulated the blueprints, changing the schematics to match.

“For the outer hull, how much of the Iron man armour alloy do we have Jay?”

“We have not tested the alloy in deep-sea conditions sir. It holds up against the upper atmosphere, but we know it fails in the vacuum of space.”

Tony twitched, looking up at the ceiling accusingly. “Alright, well can we get our hands on any adamantium or vibranium and make an alloy using that?”

“Dr. Banner has been in contact with the scientists in Wakanda, Sir,” JARVIS said. “Perhaps he can help you procure the materials you need.”

“Call him down here if he’s not too busy, please,” Tony said manipulating the hologram and fitting in extra parts and rearranging others.

“He is on his way down, Sir.”

“We will need to plan an engine for this as well Jay. We also need propeller systems. It shouldn’t be any more complicated than the original SHIELD Helicarriers, though, I don’t want to use the thrusters in case of interference with the magic containment field around the boy, so we will use a combination engine using propellers fueled by an arc reactor,” Tony mused, not stopping for a breath while he planned.

“We will need a way to pressurize the oxygen, as well as allow for rapid depressurization if needed. Use the system from the Mark 35 for that but expand it to fit the parameters of the vessel.”

At that moment, Bruce walked in through the doors.

“Excellent,” Tony said not taking his eyes off of the blue prints in front of him. “Bruce, come take a look at this.”

Bruce walked over to stand across from Tony. “This is the submersible?”

“It will be,” Tony affirmed. “I wanted to ask you about the outer hull,” Tony said pointing to the schematic. “The Iron Man armour alloy isn’t tested strong enough to withstand that kind of pressure. We need some kind of alloy that will withstand the pressure but not be too heavy.”

“What kind of alloy are you thinking of?” Bruce asked curious.

“Are you still in contact with the Wakandan scientists?”

“You want to use vibranium?” 

“I’m thinking perhaps a vibranium and steel alloy, or perhaps adamantium, though it might be too heavy. Vibranium is light weight, and won’t buckle under the pressure from the depth. It’s also durable enough to withstand out demi-god friend, and therefore should be safe enough to withstand his nephew should the kid get anxious and violent when we get him out of the prison he’s in.”

"How are we going to convince them to let us have the vibranium?"

"Tell them I'll buy it from them, and they can have the craft back at a quarter of the price at the end of it for any deep-sea missions they may have." 

"I'll see what I can do," Bruce said pulling one of the screens over and logging into his secure email. 

"Excellent," Tony replied, returning to the blueprint. As Bruce emailed the Wakandan scientists, Tony started making a catalogue of the materials they would require so he could send out an order and start with what he did have.

\---

 

_Father?_

 

_Fenrir?_

 

_Hela?_

 

_anyone?                                 please.........................................         plea.......se..........._

 

\---

 

As far as Tony knew, Jör was imprisoned in one of the deepest parts of the world's oceans. That they knew his general location made his rescue both difficult and easy. The submersible was easy enough. Tony was confident he could manage something that would be able to withstand the pressures of the ocean floor. Building was one of Tony's better talents (next to driving people away). The difficult part would be the fact that not only had Jör been isolated in his prison for hundreds of Midgardian years, but he had also been encased in sort of force field. 

Tony was sure that given a push, he could figure out the math, but he would rather focus on the mechanics. He left the Bifrost calculations to Bruce and Jane (as well as Selvig when he wasn't occupied), and he was reluctantly calling in Richards and Storm for their help with the force field.

Tony hoped the prison was similar enough to Sue's abilities that her and her idiot husband could figure it out. If not, Tony had it on good authority that the mutant he had asked Xavier after, Kurt, would most likely be able to teleport into the prison. Tony hoped it wouldn't come down to that, but he was willing to bring others in as help on these rescues. They could take their responsibility if need be. 

The boy would probably recover better under Xavier's care or near other children. Or that's what Tony assumed; he'd never had siblings, nor had he ever had many friends his age, but Jör had had both at one point in his life. Normality is what the boy would need after his mistreatment. Tony hoped that Thor, and the rest of the team would be able to help, but if not, Tony knew Xavier would help, at least until they got Loki back and Loki could decide what would be best for his children. 

 

\----

 

After Bruce’s negotiating, the Wakandans were willing to let Tony buy the vibranium from them under contract that he would then sell them his blueprints and the craft to them once it’s initial purpose had been fulfilled. For Tony, that worked perfectly. The craft was not a weapon, but rather an exploration device. Besides, he’d been meaning to get into building durable vehicles like this that weren’t tanks. He knew the Wakandans would use it _responsibly_ and not as a weapon.

Sue, bless her soul, had managed to keep her husband out of Tony’s hair while she worked with him and Strange to discuss the possibilities of the force field. She convinced Reid, who was “thrilled about the prospect of interplanetary travel” to work with Bruce and Jane on the Bifrost project. Tony couldn’t have been happier not to deal with Richards.

Strange convinced Tony that a preliminary scouting mission would be needed to determine the exact nature of Jör’s containment field, so Sue, Tony, Strange and Kurt prepared for that as Tony and Jarvis constructed the craft and pressure tested it in the lab (With Ben Grimm an Hulk’s help, as well as Sue’s kid brother’s help).

It survived Hulk, Thing, Human Torch, as well as all the freezing and pressure tests Tony had put it against. His only concern was the arc reactor power source (which he was going to have to make an agreement with the Wakandans about when he sold it back to them,) and how it would survive the deep-sea pressures considering in Tony’s experience it hadn’t fared well.

He’d build the new casing from vibranium, and therefor felt that the reactor would be up to the challenge. They did have the back-up plan of Strange and Wiccan if worst-came-to-worst.

 

\---

 

The submersible was a thing of beauty. Tony and Jarvis had taken Hela’s suggestions and their adjusted designs of the _Avlin, Mir_ and _Mir II_ crafts and made a craft that Tony was proud of. He was almost sad to think of handing it off to the Wakandans after rescuing Jör but he knew that they would be able to finally figure out what the hell was going on in the depths of their own planet while scientists like Jane and Erik Selvig looked to the stars, and their far-reaching interstellar neighbours.

Rhodey had offered to get Tony a ride out to the trench with a military air-craft carrier, but Tony hadn’t wanted to involve the military in case someone like Ross got their hands on the intel and tried to get to either Bruce or Jör (because let’s face it, there were a lot of mutant-phobic assholes in the military, let alone those who were xenophobic and would want to use Jör against Thor or Loki, or possibly even Asgard).

Instead of taking Rhodes up on his offer, Tony arranged with a private company like any scientists would. They hired a crew that was hand-picked by Natasha and Clint, and made them sign confidentiality agreements as well as a large sum in form of payment from Stark Industries to “test” a “new deep sea submersible” which allowed for a small amount of leakage into the media from the crew.

Tony and Pepper had been at this game a long time, and knew how to play the media. With this story under their control, only the gossips columns would be able to get anything about “scandal” or other “breaking stories” involving Tony and the team that was going out to “test” the craft. 

The official story was that Sue and Tony were collaborating due to Sue’s knowledge with spacecraft materials. Thor, was not of this world, and therefore wanted to know what kinds of things could be seen under the Earth’s oceans. Dr. Strange and his young apprentice were unknowns, and therefore could just be speculated as researchers, or something similar. Kurt, was more difficult, but they managed to secure a wing of the craft for themselves, and the captain was a Mutant-positive man who would secure the deck for Kurt to get some air without risk of the ship’s crew interfering. When it came to the launch, Kurt knew the craft inside out, and therefore teleported directly off of the boat to it just after launch.

The scouting mission turned out to no take that long in the end. It was a quick “depth test” with Sue, Tony, Strange, and Wiccan on board before they returned to the surface to discuss their findings with Thor and Kurt and decide the best course of action. Sue and the magic-users were going to try their hand at manipulating the force field, though Thor and Strange were skeptical that it would affect it much due to the nature of the enchantment.

"We are close now," Strange said as the craft crept closer to the eerie pocket of darkness in front of it inside Challenger deep. 

"Alright," Tony said. 

"Wiccan," Strange said. "What do you feel?" 

"Asgardian Magic," Wiccan said. "It's... not as powerful as it could be. It's weakening."

"Yes. What else?"

"There is an alert. We can't break it."

"No, we can't," Strange agreed. 

Wiccan looked pensive. "We can weaken it further so that someone might be able to enter it however. Or bend it.” 

“Indeed we can,” Strange agreed with a smile.

So, finally, after days out at sea, and 3 days of reconnaissance and planning, the rescue team headed down into Challenger Deep to rescue Jörmangandr, the famed Midgard Serpent, and the youngest surviving son of Loki Silvertongue.

“There it is,” Tony said as they approached the location of Jör’s prison.

“Susan,” Strange said waving her over to him and Wiccan near one side of the craft. “Can you try to manipulate the field? Do not try to break it but rather just manipulate its shape or density.”

Sue nodded, holding her hands out and focusing intently. “It’s too dense to do it alone,” she said shaking her head. “The force it would exert on my body… and I can’t guarantee that I won’t collapse it accidentally and potentially drown the boy.”

Strange nodded. "Kurt," Strange said motioning the blue mutant over.

"Yes?"

"Your ability. How does it work? How do you transport yourself from one place to another?"

"I have to see vhere I am going, or know vhat to expect. I picture the location, and poof, I go," Kurt said shrugging.

"Do you think you could do it being guided?"

"Vith magic?"

"Yes."

"I have never tried it, but I vill if you think it best."

"Wiccan and I will supply you the location and the trail, all you have to do, it let yourself go there, grab the boy, then envision yourself back here."

Kurt nodded. "I can do that."

“I can protect you with a shield in case something happens while you are getting the boy,” Sue said.

Kurt nodded.

"You will need to be careful friend," Thor cautioned. "He will be large, and still strong enough to hurt you. You must grab him and return quickly so that he can't harm you."

Kurt nodded. "Just tell me vhen."

 

\---

 

Kurt bamfed into Jör's prison, following the trail supplied by Strange's magic. He quickly wrapped his arms around the boy, then transported them both back into the submarine. Immediately, Jör began to thrash and struggle. Kurt pushed himself back from the large muscular body of Jör's serpentine form and kept close to the wall. Tony glanced back from the pilot chair before refocusing on taking the craft back to the surface to rendezvous with the others at the surface. 

Susan created a small bubble of energy around the boy, keeping his large tail from hitting anyone or hurting himself on the interior of the craft.

Wiccan and Strange hovered just behind Tony, waiting to see how the boy would react being free of his magical bonds, as well as reseal the enchantments so that Odin and those who cast them wouldn't suspect anything was amiss of they were to check on them. 

"Jörmangandr! Nephew! You are safe now!" Thor said in a soothing tone as Jör curled defensively in the far end of the submersible once he realized he was no longer being restrained but rather shielded from harm. "Shh, you are free child. You're never going back there, I promise.”

The snake boy let out a hiss-like whimper, curling tighter in on himself. 

"It is alright young one," Kurt said in a low voice as he crouched down. "We are only here to help. Your father sent us."

Jör's forked tongue slipped out between his teeth, tasting the air. 

Thor shook his head. "He is not here my boy. I was tasked with freeing you and your brothers and sister, then we will be reunited with your father."

 _Uncle_.  A voice said into Thor's head.

Mind-speak was something Thor was familiar with from Loki during many of his more secretive pranks. It was also his preferred method of communication when he was shifting shapes.  

"Yes, it is I Jörmangandr."

_Father?_

"No, he's not here. I'm sorry."

_Go back?_

"No, you will never be going back to that awful place."

_Dark. It was... Dark. Too quiet. Please no._

"You'll never be left in the dark or silence alone again Jör. We are all here to make sure of that."

The boy-snake bobbed his head, coiling up tighter. 

"Would you like a blanket? It vill keep you warm young one," Kurt asked holding up one of the warm, soft blankets Tony had procured and stocked the craft with for just this purpose. 

The boy eyed Kurt warily before bobbing his head in agreement. 

Kurt carefully unfolded the blanket with slow and deliberate movements, walking closer to Jör slowly. He carefully tugged the blanket up over Jör's body, leaving his head and neck exposed, tucking in his coils into the blanket however. 

"There you go, you will be warm now," Kurt said before moving to pull away. They were all surprised when Jör protested to Kurt's withdrawal. "I vill grab my own blanket and sit vith you, yes?" Kurt asked.

The boy's head nodded in agreement once more. 

Kurt grabbed his own blanket, then came and sat against the wall beside Jör. 

Thor sat across from the boy looking alert. "I will keep watch. You may sleep Jörmangandr. No one will take you from us again. I will kill them if they try."

Jör closed his eyes, hoping this wasn't all a wonderfully horrible dream. It would be the cruelest dream gifted to him by the fates if that's what it indeed was. 

 

 ---

 

Jör woke on the way back up to the surface, gasping and curling his coils in tightly in agitation. Thor and Kurt both reached out hands and rested them on Jör's body. Kurt readjusted the blanket covering Jör's body, and began to sing soothingly in German.

Jör settled slowly, moving relaxing his body and uncoiling to rest his head on Kurt's knee. Thor added his cape on top of the blanket covering Jör's body, helping keep him warm. Jör settled in once more, feeling safe for the first time since being separated from his father and siblings all those years ago. 

"Jör," a voice said waking him from his slumber. "Jör." It was deep but quiet voice. "Jör, is time to wake up now," the voice continued. 

Jör curled his body in, hissing quietly. He was comfortable. He didn't want to wake and have this all be a dream. A clawed hand stroked over Jor's head. "Vake up now sleepy. We are going to take you to your new home."

_Home....?_

"Yes dear one, home." 

_Uncle T-T-Thor?_

"Yes?"

_The other man._

"What about him?"

_He is blue. Like Mother. Like Father can be._

"Aye, he is. Isn't it a wonderous colour of skin? I never knew your father could do this, and I am jealous."

_Why aren't you blue?_

"I am not like your father. We are from different worlds, and I do not have the pleasure of having blue skin."

_Oh.... The other men are not blue._

"No, they aren't," Thor agreed. 

_They're not of Asgard._

"They are of Midgard," Thor supplied.

_The man in the cloak tastes of magic. Like Father. But... different._

"He is a sorcerer like Loki. He and his apprentice helped free you from Odin's enchantments."

_I want to thank them._

"Would you like me to tell them for you?"

_I... I can be a boy._

"I do not understand. You already are a boy," Thor said.

_I... Father taught me a trick. How to look like a boy. But I was not allowed to do it in Asgard because I am blue._

"Here, it naught matters the colour of your skin my dear, merely that you are happy."

Jör nodded, closed his eyes, and gritted his teeth. The next moment, there was a boy with curly black hair, and a deep blue complexion sat blinking at them. He was gaunt, his cheeks hollow and his ribs showing, but he looked well.

Thor’s face brightened with a large smile. "This is indeed a wonderful trick.”

Susan gasped at the sudden change. Tony, Wiccan and Strange just watched warily from the front of the craft.

"Hello," Jör rasped. He shivered and Kurt adjusted the blanket on Jör's bony shoulders. 

"You are blue," Kurt said in wonder.

Jör nodded self-consciously. "Yes," he said. "My father is blue too."

Kurt smiled widely at him. "He is?"

Jör nodded. 

"Jör," Thor began.

Jör turned to look at his uncle. 

"Would it be alright if I carried you? We are going to leave this craft and enter another ship, and I do not want you to fall and injure yourself."

Jör bit his pale lip. He nodded, standing up on shaky legs. 

Kurt stood slowly behind Jör, wrapping the blanket back around the boy's shoulders. "It is cold outside," Kurt said.

Jör bit his lip again, gathering the fabric in his hands and pulling it in tighter around his neck. 

Thor knelt, extending his arms. "You will be safe with me," he said to his nephew. "I promise not to drop you or let anyone remove you from my arms."

Thor wrapped his arms around Jör gently. He stood, raising the boy up, forearm wrapped under his bum, his other hand at the boy's back protectively. Jör rested his head against Thor's chest, peering down at everyone as Tony opened the doorway, revealing the lights beyond, and the ramp leading up to the ship.

“We wish to remain un-seen, yes?” Thor asked, pausing.

Tony nodded.

“I can teleport us,” Kurt said indicating to himself and Jör, “zen Thor can come to our rooms immediately.”

“Will you go with Kurt? I must play a part for some humans. I will return to you with haste,” Thor explained to Jör.

Jör bit his lip then nodded reluctantly. “You will be back?”

“I will only be a few minutes,” Thor promised. Thor wrapped his cloak around Jör. “Hold onto this for me. I will be back for it.”

Jör nodded before letting himself be transferred into the arms of Kurt.

“Zis may feel strange,” Kurt warned as he held onto Jör before disappearing. They appeared in Kurt’s rooms, Jör shaking from the shock of the strange form of transportation.

“Are you alright?” Kurt asked.

Jör nodded.

“Let’s sit, yes, and wait for ze others?” Kurt said carrying Jör over to the bed where he curled them both in the corner, tucking Jör into Thor’s red cape more firmly.  

 

\---

 

Tony led the way, securing the craft to the inside of the ship, ensuring that the crew would find nothing out of the ordinary about the craft after Jör’s presence onboard.

“Success!” Tony beamed as he approached the Captain of the ship. “We have all the data we need, so if you could get us back to the mainland as soon as possible I would be forever grateful,” Tony continued speaking rapidly. “We have to analyze this data and then get some experts on this who can tell me what it all means,” Tony said enthused. “I have just revolutionized exploration! Ear that Susie! We are one step closer to unlocking Earth’s last mysteries!”

While Tony talked, Thor slipped away, heading towards their quarters where Jör was with Kurt.

Kurt came to sit beside Thor and Jör without being asked, pulling the clothing from the pack. "Would you like to put these on?" he asked the boy. "It vill help keep you warm under ze blanket."

"Okay," Jör said.

Thor pulled some clothes from a bag that Tony had brought “just in case.” The clothes were too big for Jör, probably being old pieces of clothing from various members of the team. Thor pulled out a tee-shirt that wouldn’t drawn Jör’s tiny body in it, and Thor and Kurt helped Jör maneuver his limbs through the arm and neck holes of the shirt.

When that was finished, Thor wrapped him back in the blanket, and pulled Jör into his lap. 

Kurt stayed beside them.

"We are going to stay with Kurt for a while," Thor said. "How does that sound?"

"Where do you live?" Jör asked Kurt, his voice quiet.

"I am staying at a school currently. It is a school for children like me, who are different from other humans."

"Different?" Jör asked confused.

"Ja. Some of zem look different, some of zem can do things others cannot. Like me. I am blue, and I can also get from one place to another much more quickly zan others can."

"Oh," Jor said. "Are there more like you?"

"There are a few others who are blue. There are a few who can transport themselves. There are a few who look different to see, but there are none exactly like me."

Jör nodded, but said nothing. 

"You and your uncle vill stay with me there until your new home is set up."

"Home?"

"Yeah kid," Tony interrupted, walking into the room. "We're gonna make you a room just for you whether you want to be a boy or a snake, and same goes for your brothers, your sister, and your dad."

Jor bit his his lip unsure. 

“Anthony is a generous friend,” Thor said to his nephew. “He gives freely and expects nothing in return. It is both a fault and a virtue because many take advantage, but we who are his friends accept his hospitality, and cherish his friendship.” Thor pointedly did not look at Tony while he talked. Tony stared open-mouthed at Thor. Who knew the big lug had been playing dumb this whole time?!

“We ask for nothing more than we need from him, and we support him in his own endeavours to try to show our friendship in return. You need not accept his offer is you do not wish to,” Thor said to Jör. “But he will ensure that we are protected.”

“What about you?” Jör asked Kurt.

“I have a home, but I vill visit if you vish,” Kurt smiled.

“You don’t have to decide now,” Tony said. “For now, rest. You’re safe here.”

Jör bit his lip, then nodded curling further into his uncle’s arms, reaching out for Kurt’s clawed hand and holding it tightly in his own blue-toned hands.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think I love to hear from you. Kudos are fantastic, but Comments really let me know what people like and don't like.  
> I hope I didn't move too fast from plan to rescue.


	5. Nightmares and Bucky Bears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jor adjusting to life after imprisonment. Jor, Bucky, Kurt, and Xavier's as well as Stark Tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School and Writer's Block are bitches, okay. Check out my "Literary Composition" series if you want to see what I've been doing the last little bit in addition to moving to Chile and Studying in Spanish rather than English. It's been a weird few months since arriving in Chile at the end of January. Excuses aside.... 
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to all of my wonderfully patient readers, especially those who commented on Chapter 4: 
> 
> GuesssWho (for the wonderful space craft conversation too), hannah, Hannah, Maia2, celianthe, PeaceHeather, GrezzWizard, d4nk meme, chessa, Alli B, and Jas. You have all been so patient. Thank you so much for returning to read this. :)
> 
> Also for ban_sidhe, who scared Jor into telling me his story. He was being frustratingly silent until this morning. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who left me Kudos as well <3

**Rescue Chapter 5: Joy Ride**

\---

_Soon I will be free._

_Free from these bonds._

_They could not kill me when I was chained. They will not be able to kill me when I am not._

_I will be free. And they will die._

\---

The first night free from his prison, Jör woke suddenly, though sluggishly. He had slept fitfully, waking often to check that he was still free from his shackles, and that Kurt and his uncle hadn’t left him while he slept.

That first day, was hard; the first week, harder. The first day, Jor stuck to the sides of the people who had rescued him.

Jor was wary of his uncle, but the man was large, warm, and had taken him away from that darkness and emptiness.   
  
Tony was human, and fragile. Jör had to be careful of breaking the human, his uncle said. Tony talked a lot, but Jör didn’t mind. The noise was pleasant after the silence. And Tony talked about interesting things, like his armour and the rest of the team.

Kurt was Jör’s favourite though. The man’s blue skin was so familiar to his own, and his father’s. It was different that any other on Midgard but for Jör it was familiar.

He was unused to the faces he saw. They were human, and though the mutants like Kurt were more familiar to him than the regular humans like Tony it was all an adjustment.

They had ventured down to a shared kitchen in the mansion for food when Jör first saw the other mutant children. Some of them looked human enough. They were happy, smiling and hungry like he was. One had a blue tongue that he playfully stuck out at Jör, while another blatantly walked through a solid door. Jör starred after that girl in particular. He wondered if she was a _seidr_ user like his father. He would have to ask.

As Kurt carried him through the kitchen door, the children in the kitchen and at the table looked at them briefly in curiosity before going back to their meals.

Kurt set Jör on the counter. “Ve do not usually allow zis, but I think ve can make an exception, ja?”   
  
Jör bit his lip, unsure.

The seidr-girl came up behind Kurt and smiled. “I won’t tell, promise!”

“Vhy hello Kitty,” Kurt greeted the girl.

“How are you Kurt? And who is this?” she asked looking at Jör.

“I am vell,” Kurt said with a small smile. “And zis here, is Thor’s nephew Jörmangandr,” Kurt said.

Kitty glanced at Kurt sharply before returning her gaze to Jör.

“It’s nice to meet you Jörmangandr,” Kitty said stumbling over his name.

“You can call me Jör,” Jör said quietly, ducking his head.

“You can call me Kitty.”

Jör nodded.

Kitty smiled. “So what are you having for lunch Jör?”

Jör didn’t answer glancing around uncertain, before Kurt came back with two bowls, a jar and an apple.

“Jör is unused to human food. Ve were thinking something simple… Applesauce, and perhaps oatmeal. I am fond of apples, so I vill put apples in mine,” he held up the red fruit to show Jör.

“You should try it with a bit of cinnamon,” Kitty said smiling at Jör. “Its my favourite way to eat oatmeal.”

Kurt smiled. “Vould you like to try that Jör, or just the plain first?”

Jör bit his lip, uncertain. He carefully pointed to the apple in Kurt’s hand.

Kurt smiled. “Perfect.”

Jör watched Kitty carefully as she prepared her own food, never opening drawers or cupboards, but just sticking her body through them and removing the things she needed.

“Do you use seidr?”

Both Kurt and Kitty looked at him curiously. Jör bit his lip, regretting asking the question so impolitely.

“What is seeder?”

“Seidr,” Jör couldn’t help but correct. He bit his lip again. “Um… you can move through things. My father can do it do. He taught himself how.”

“Like magic?” Kitty asked. Jör pondered the word. All-speak made it easy enough to understand.

“I guess,” he said.

“No,” Kitty said with a laugh. “Though that would be cool! my phasing is my mutation.”

Jör tilted his head curiously.

“Just like Kurt is blue, and Storm controls the weather, I can walk through objects.”

“It is something only you can do then?”

“As far as we know,” Kitty said. “It would be neat to find someone else who can do it though.”

“Oh,” Jör said disappointed.

“Zere are magic users on earth,” Kurt supplied.

Kitty looked at him surprised. “Really? Like not just card tricks?”

Kurt nodded. “One of zem and his apprentice helped us find Jör. Zey had to leave shortly after but we vill see zem again,” Kurt said, looking at Jör specifically for the last part.

Jör smiled, thinking about the things he would ask.

Kurt opened a drawer and grabbed two spoons for himself and Jör. “Vould you like to eat at ze table with ze others?”

Kitty smiled widely. “You can sit beside me!”

Jör smiled shyly. “Ok.”

After that, Jör was fast friends with Kitty, and through her, the others in the house. Everyone soon welcomed Jör with open arms and slowly, he grew accustomed to having other children around him - friends. Kurt would remain his favourite person, even after he moved to the city with his uncle, staying in Tony’s palace - tower.

 

\---

 

New York city was an adjustment for Jör. Kurt had agreed to come to the Tower to help Jör adjust at first, and that was what probably made the difference for Jör. He grew closer to his uncle and the rest of the team. He wasn’t sure what to make of his room, but no one ever was when Tony was involved.

The room was big and bright, but had thick, warm curtains, and lots of lights. Tony and Thor has collaborated to put the stars on Jör’s ceiling, and they changed with the seasons. Jör had learned to love the sky while at Xavier’s. He and Kurt had spent hours outside when Jör couldn’t sleep looking up at the sky.

His room was soft. There were pillows, and cushions, blankets and a soft carpet. He could curl up as a boy or a snake… And Tony had even put fake trees in his room that he could wrap around as a snake. It was amazing.

Steve had painted trees and flowers on one wall, ocean and sky on another. He helped Jör paint his own creation on a third wall, and told Jör that if he ever wanted to change it, they could. All Jör had to do was ask.

He had heated blankets, and warm lights that acted like the sun that he could sit under as a snake, and toys and books for when he was a boy. His favourite toy however, was his Bucky Bear, given to him by Tony the first day he moved into the tower.

 

\---

 

The first time he woke up with a nightmare after Kurt returned back to Xavier’s (with promises to visit often though Jör had the phone numbers of various X-Men and he could call anytime, day or night) JARVIS directed Jör to Tony’s workshop. Tony was there working on some project or another, and he let Jör watch him work, explaining things as he went. He used words Jör didn’t understand, and Jör thought it strange that humans could be so advanced while still so far behind other places in the Nine Realms. He fell asleep leaning on Tony’s work bench and he woke briefly to movement, before he was placed on something soft, his weighted blanket pulled up to his chin. A whispered “Go back to sleep, you’re okay,” ushered him back to sleep.

That became another regular occurrence for Jör. If he woke from a nightmare and Tony was in his workshop, JARVIS would send him the. If by some miracle Tony was sleeping, there was always someone awake in the tower so JARVIS would lead Jör there instead.

Jör hadn’t been in the tower long when Steve’s warrior friend Bucky moved into the tower. He had a pet cat, who didn’t like people other than Bucky very much. Jör thought he understood, so he let her be. She was a calming presence in the tower for Jör despite her usually air of hostility or disregard. She often lurked the hallways if she wasn’t at Bucky’s side, and Jör often thought to himself that she was almost a better guard than JARVIS.

Bucky was Jör’s second favourite person after Kurt. He was a warrior, but still managed to be gentle. Like Jör he was haunted by his time spent a prisoner, and so often spent many nights awake. The best part for Jör was Bucky’s metal arm. It was strong, and warm. It reminded Jör of his father’s armour, or Mjölnir. It was both side of the world - it was life and death. It was cold and shiny, but warm and alive beneath it.

Bucky, James to all but Steve and Jör, didn’t understand the kid’s fascination with the arm, but he wouldn’t drive the kid away. So he made sure to be honest with the boy, and always tell him if he wasn’t up for company. Jör never had problems if Bucky turned him away. He understood. That was what disturbed James the most - such an innocent kid shouldn’t understand that kind of thing.

 

\---

 

Once, Jör woke from a nightmare and while on his way to his uncle’s room, he got sidetracked by a light coming from the living room. Someone was watching the TV in the dark. Jör changed course and headed that way instead, dragging his blanket behind him, Bucky Bear in his arms.

James didn’t sleep often. When he did, it was in short, restful spurts. He never slept when Steve was out of the tower. He worried too much about the idiot now that he had him back. He wasn’t surprised when Jör found his way into the living room one night. Jör didn’t even hesitate when it came to crawling up onto Bucky’s lap, pulling the blanket with him.

James stifled a sigh. He really shouldn’t be surprised by this anymore, honestly. This kid was just… adorable. James helped Jör settle with his back against his left arm, his head leaning on James’ chest.

“JARVIS,” James asked. “How about that Disney movie based off of that book, Treasure Island.”

JARVIS changed the screen from the infomercials James had been watching to Treasure Planet.

Jör was fast asleep against Bucky before Jim set off with the map in search of Treasure Planet with Doctor Doppler, Captain Amelia, Mr. Arrow and Long John Silver’s crew. Bucky fell asleep just before Jim got B.E.N. his memory bank back.

Steve found them on the couch the next morning, though at some point Bucky had moved to lay down, Jör curled up on Bucky’s chest. They were both covered in Jör’s blanket, Bucky’s metal arm around Jör’s back keeping him from falling. Steve made sure JARVIS captured the picture to print out and frame later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, this chapter also comes to you all with the help of my dearest bogling Camikila. Honestly, go check out their fic here on A03. They're kind of my favourite adopted sibling. xox
> 
> The next chapter is mostly written as it was my project for Nano 2015 as well as Camp Nano 2016, so it shouldn't as long of a wait. I may make you wait a week or so while I add in some flashbacks I didn't include in this chapter, as well as edit some things, and fix some of the science. 
> 
> Chapter 6 will be titled "Joyride" and will feature Clint, Fenrir, Johnny Storm, and Hela, inaddition to the regular crew. 
> 
> I look forward to seeing you all again. Hasta pronto!


	6. Joy Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The point was, Clint didn’t have many friends other than Lucky to hang out with, so he took the Quinjet for a spin while the rest of the team was occupied. Without Backup. Like an idiot.
> 
> In hindsight, Human Torch flying by and tailing Clint until he let him board the plane while in flight ended up being a good thing because Clint honestly hadn’t expected anything to come from his investigation. As it turns out, he was so very wrong."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so very sorry that this took so long. Clint and Johnny wouldn't figure out their shit, I spent the last year studying in Spanish in a foreign country, then I had to move from Chile back to Canada in December, and then move to another city on the other side of the province to go back to school. Then I had to fight with my professors to be able to graduate in May.. I also just got a job at a Spanish call centre... it's been busy. But, it's here. Finally. 
> 
> Here we are during reading week, and the boys have finally figured out what they are doing. Warning: Clint is about to get his ass kicked. As usual.

**Chapter 6: Joyride**

 

On Terra, earthquakes are a frighteningly common occurrence. Most of Terra’s inhabitant don’t realize just how frequent of an occurrence, instead only taking notice when a particularly devastating and deadly one takes place.

Earthquakes go unnoticed by most on Terra because many earthquakes are too deep under Terra’s rocky surface to be felt, or despite being close to the surface were too minuscule in magnitude.

Some earthquakes are volcanic in origin. Some are caused by the movement of tectonic plates moving against each other as Terra’s continents slowly migrate across the planet’s surface. Other earthquakes are caused by natural factors such as human drilling, mining, and fracking operations.

Another, mostly un-thought-of cause of earthquakes on Terra was magic. On Terra anyway, they call it magic. In Asgard, among others in the Nine Realms and Galaxy, magic and science is one in the same. It is merely magical when it is too advanced for a society to comprehend.

There are even mutants with the natural ability to manipulate Terra’s natural state. Sorcerers can also do the same, though their abilities are considered learned skills and not natural latent abilities. Sorcerers also have influence over a wider spectrum with their skills than genetic mutations are known to allow.

To those sensitive to energy or ‘magic’; whatever label you want to give the phenomenon, some of these seemingly innocuous shifts in Terra’s surface eve are anything but mundane. To some, the shifts are a warning of another mutant nearby. To others, they signify a powerful form of magic.

Thor, despite being the least inclined to the practice of _Seiðr_ , the Asgardian term for energy manipulation, does in fact possess a sensitivity to many forms of Seiðr (mostly from exposure to Loki, Odin, and Frigga’s various uses of it during his childhood, particularly Loki’s tricks and pranks).

While his skills in the use of Seiðr are limited, Thor is always curious when he detects the telltale surge and an almost static energy that he has come to associate with the use of it.

Thus it is a surprise when it wasn’t Thor who first noticed the signs despite being on the hunt for the possible signs.

Clint liked to track natural disasters in his free time. It was an odd hobby, but given that his time was filled up with Avenging, being a landlord in Bed-Stuy, training Kate, and getting his ass kicked by badly dressed Russians on a regular basis, being able to check an app on his phone, or access government data while eating pizza with Lucky, eating muffins at Nadine’s, or while waiting for a target was easy.

Recently, Clint had noticed a trend of earthquakes along the borders of the Pacific and Nazca plates. The movement wouldn’t have raised any red flags for Clint except that there didn’t appear to be any significant or new volcanic activity in the region.

Then, the earthquakes started moving inland along the South American plate, just small magnitude tremors occurring at a depth too shallow to cause surface damage. That had lasted for 6 months before, along the Andes mountain range, the tremors became fully fledged earthquakes and the magnitude increased to dangerous levels. Luckily the quakes were occurring deep below the surface, and didn’t have any visible damage.

That was when there was a large quake deep in the Andes that was felt miles away in the Chilean capital… when it theoretically shouldn’t have been, especially considering villages and towns between Santiago and the origin point were unaffected.

Clint did a bit of digging in the Chilean National Geological Survey, as well as local news reports and found that the area where the quake originated wasn’t completely unaffected despite initial reports. There had been a number of follow-up reports of a landslide on a rarely used mountain road that accessed a series of privately owned valleys and the mostly undeveloped interior of the mountain range.

Clint monitored the situation closely, keeping an eye on the reports coming in from the area, as well as local radio chatter. He also kept his eye out for any other similar patterns elsewhere in the word, though this appeared to be an isolated incident. A single isolated incident piqued Clint’s interest, and he decided that after the quakes remained consistent after another 6 months to investigate.

Now, this investigation was completely unsanctioned by any party. It was merely Clint going to do some personal research in his free time; when he should have been resting. A recent altercation had left him with a black eye, a broken nose, and possibly a broken rib or two, not that he’d told anyone about those last ones.

Needless to say, Clint was restless. Natasha was out on a solo mission, Steve and Barnes were bonding or something, Stark and Banner were holed up in their labs like the big nerds they were, and Thor was off wooing Jane probably, so Clint was left all by himself. Being a superhero and a landlord didn’t leave much time for social life, especially when you also worked part-time for free at a friend’s cafe, and trained some hotshot archer to be your successor….

The point was, Clint didn’t have many friends other than Lucky to hang out with, so he took the Quinjet for a spin while the rest of the team was occupied. Without Backup. Like an idiot.

In hindsight, Human Torch flying by and tailing Clint until he let him board the plane while in flight ended up being a good thing because Clint honestly hadn’t expected anything to come from his investigation. As it turns out, he was so very wrong.

\---

“Storm, if you’re staying on board you follow my rules, got it kid?” Clint shouted back to Johnny Storm as Clint re-engaged the door mechanism as Johnny landed and began walking forward, the flames disappearing into his skin.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say old man,” Johnny said strolling up to the co-pilot seat. “So, I thought this plane was for like, Avenger’s official use only or something.”

“Was that supposed to be a question?” Clint asked, eyebrow raised.

Johnny shrugged. “So, where are we going?”

“Exploring the Andean Mountains.”

“Ooooh South America, nice,” Johnny said eagerly. “So… how much trouble are we going to get in?” He asked, sounding exciting.

“Hopefully not much, but, well, knowing me… a lot,” Clint admitted.

“Awesome. Count me in!” Johnny cheered, kicking his feet up on the Jet’s dashboard.

“Feet off the goods,” Clint said immediately.

“Party pooper,” Johnny pouted.

“My jet, my rules,” Clint said sticking his tongue out at Johnny like the mature adult he was.

“Avengers jet, technically,” Johnny shot back.

“Which I am and you are not, so still my rules,” Clint pointed out.

Johnny scowled, before brightening. “Fine, but I get to choose the tunes!”

“Go ahead,” Clint smirked, pointedly looking at Johnny as he turned off his hearing aids.

Johnny swore and Clint just cackled in response.

\---

The rest of the flight to Chile went well, but once they landed in the mountains and got near the caves… everything went to shit. Clint wasn’t actually sure how the next bit happened, but one minute Johnny was standing in front of the cave; the next minute Johnny had been pushed out the of the way and Clint was being pinned on the ground by a large mass of fur and teeth. His ribs were protesting the treatment, but he didn’t dare move because he knew that he was lucky. He should have been dead; the bones digging into Clint’s hands and sitting out of the earth around him attested to that fact.

“Storm listen to me,” Clint said from where he was face down on the rock underneath a snarling wolf. “You need to text the following number,” he said listing off Natasha’s current emergency phone number. “You need to text “We’ve run out of bread. Could you pick some up on the way home? The kind from the place on the corner.”

“Alright, I’ve got it.”

“Send it, then get back to the plane and activate the GPS under the console.”

“I’m not leave-“

“ _Johnny!_ ” Clint wheezed as the wolf leaned more weight on him.

Johnny was gone in the next second, and Clint was left alone.

**_Why shouldn’t I kill you now, mortal?_ **

“I’m not here to hurt you Fenrir!”

**_How did you find me then? Your companion isn’t the first to venture close to my cave. You are the first to sacrifice yourself for the other. You are not the first to try to take me on however. I am not a stranger to warriors coming to kill me._ **

“I know your brother, Jörmangandr. I’m friends with your uncle.”

Fenrir snarled learning his teeth close to Clint’s throat. Clint was careful not to flinch as Fenrir spoke again.

 **** _YOU HURT MY BROTHER?!  
  
_ “ _No!_ We rescued him. He’s safe. Your father sent us to get all of you.”

**_My father; what does he care? He never has before. Why should I believe you?_ **

“Please. My friend just went to alert my team. Your uncle is on it. I won’t move until they get here. They’ll have proof,” Clint begged. His body would hate him for laying in the hard rock, but he knew that Natasha would see his message immediately and would get Stark to bring the team as fast as possible.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliff-hanger. Chapter 7 is being finished as week speak. Natasha is on her way right now. Have no fear. Chapter 7 will also include Bonus Material, and Hela. See you shortly.


	7. We're not the bad guys, kid.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha and the Avengers to the rescue. Clint (And Johnny) are going to be in trouble. The Queen of Hel drops by to reassure her older brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been doing a lot of discussing fanfic with a new friend of mine Katharine. She's on here somewhere but I don't her penname so maybe she'll see this, maybe she won't. Regardless, a lot of these next chapters are her fault. She started updating one of her fics and it really got me to kick my own ass into gear and work through the writer's block. So here we are, with the 2nd update today. Enjoy you lucky bastards.
> 
> Please enjoy the Bonus Content, brought to you courtesy of Camikila.

**Chapter 7: We’re not the bad guys, kid.**

 

Natasha had been on a routine mission when she got a text from Clint – but not in his usually disastrous txt talk. It was an SOS code. There was no follow up with more information. He was incapacitated.

Natasha called Steve, speaking as soon as he picked up. "Please tell me the dumbass is there."

"Natasha?" Steve asked confused.

Natasha didn’t honour that ridiculous question with a response besides asking a question of her own. "Is he there?"

"Who?”

“Clint.”

“No. I haven’t seen him in a week. Not since he hurt himself."

Natasha swore in Russian before hanging up.

Next she called Stark.

“Tony, I need location on Clint.”

“Why, what’s he done now?” Tony said, pulling up the information immediately.

“SOS code. Look for anything out of the ordinary. He didn’t send follow up information.”

“On it. Trackers are all disabled… typical Barton… Jay, make a note to hide the trackers better.”

“Noted Sir.”

“We have a ping on one of the jets. What the hell is he doing in Argentina?”

“That is the Chilean side of the border Sir. I am pulling up satellite images now,” Jarvis chimed in.

“Where are you Tash? I need to pick up the granddads upstate, and then we can be at Clint’s location in hours, especially if I can convince Xavier to lend me his jet… McCoy has some excellent jet propulsion tech. We might need a few of the boys in yellow anyways, especially if Clint’s found what I think he’s found.”

“Another one of the kids,” Natasha realized. “I’ll kill him myself. One hour Stark; pick me up at the coordinates I’m sending JARVIS. One hour. Don’t be late, and don’t blow my cover.”

“Done. One hour. Look for Wilson.”

Natasha hung up.

\---

“Who was that?” Bucky asked as Steve looked at his phone in confusion.

“Natasha.”

“We’re going to have to help her find Clint aren’t we?”

“I think he’s done something stupid.”

Bucky just sighed. It was time to go tell Jör that they had to go suddenly. The kid would be happy enough to stay here at Xavier’s though. He would stay with Kurt, and it was always good for him to interact with the other kids, especially with all that had been happening with him recently at the tower.

Bucky made a mental note to talk to Thor about maybe enrolling Jör full time at Xavier’s… it might be good for the kid, and he seemed to thrive here surrounded by other kids… and it wasn’t like they couldn’t kidnap him for weekends or holidays… He’d mention it to them all shortly.

Steve’s phone rang again.

“Talk to me Stark,” he answered.

“You and Bucky Bear need to suit up. I’ll be there in 20 minutes. We’re taking Xavier’s jet. Get some of the X-Men. We think Clint found another one of the kids. JARVIS is sending more information.”

“Roger that.”

\---

Charles sighed reading the message that had appeared on the main page of his computer without prompting.

 

Charles, we have an S.O.S. from Hawkeye in S.A. I need to borrow Hank’s jet and Hank to Pilot it. I could use anyone else you think might be able to help with another one of Loki’s kids.

You don’t mind keeping an eye on Jör do you? I need Steve and James on this.

ETA 20 minutes with Falcon and Thor.

\- Tony

 

_Hank, Ororo. I need you to suit up. They’ve located another one of the Children… it might not be a good situation. Hank, they need you to pilot. We’re lending them our Jet. Ororo, you’re going to lend aid if need be. This is also a potential rescue mission. It appears that Hawkeye went in without back up. Stark will be here Shortly. Captain Rogers and Sargent Barnes will meet you downstairs momentarily. The rest of the information will be forwarded to you both shortly._

Ororo and Hank both headed from where they were in the mansion to the basement where they quickly suited up and got the Jet ready to go, the information coming in from Stark as they prepared. Steve and Bucky met the two X-Men downstairs.

Tony arrived within his time estimation, Sam and Thor flying in behind him.

The three greeted Charles quickly, before heading to the Jet and taking off.

\---

Forty-five minutes later, Sam was wearing jeans and a non-descript t-shirt standing at a bus stop in Managua, Nicaragua pretending to be looking for a particular bus.

“A la izquierda,” a voice to his left said. Sam scowled and turned. He didn’t need to speak Spanish to know what that one meant.

The woman beside him, he wouldn’t have recognized if he hadn’t been waiting for her. Natasha’s normally red hair was shaved short at the sides and dyed brown. The section in the middle that was still long, but much shorter than her usual was brown at the roots and dyed blonde at the ends as if it was growing out. She was without make-up and she looked like she’d spent too much time in the sun lately. She looked rough.

Sam didn’t want to blow her cover so he said nothing. Why they sent the non-Speaker to greet Natasha he had no clue.

“Vamos,” Natasha said taking a hold of his hand. She half led him, half followed him to the jet. Once they were inside, Natasha immediately made her way to Stark, grabbing a seat beside him where he was looking over a tabled, a holo-screen in front of him, images flipping and zooming and changing without his input. Hank and Storm got the jet back into the air with the all-clear from Sam, and started making their way south once more.

“What have we got Stark?” Natasha asked. “Anything new?”

“JARVIS and I have his location pin-pointed. We’re still not sure who turned the tracking beacon in the jet on if Clint is still radio-silent. I’m having a hard time commandeering any of the imaging satellites down there… there’s been some odd seismic activity in the area and a lot of the scientists are hyper focused on it,” Tony said frustrated.

“What kind of seismic activity?” Natasha asked.

“Unexplained earthquakes, that sort of thing; apparently they’ve been happening for months but have been steadily getting worse.”

“Odin’s hold on the boy could be weakening. If Fenrir’s own magic was trying to fight back against the All Father’s it could cause this type of phenomenon,” Thor said coming to look at the screens. “If the scientists in the area have accurate data, then these earthquakes are all coming from the same area. Clint might have seen it.”

Natasha groaned quietly to herself. “Of course!

“What?” Tony asked.

“One of Clint’s hobbies is tracking Natural disasters. He likes seeing where earthquakes happen, and how the tectonic plates move. He likes the interconnectedness of it all. If these earthquakes are seemingly unexplainable, he might have gone to investigate it.”

“Alright, so now we know why,” Tony said. “Now we need to get there and find out what he’s done to himself. I'm going to try to contact the quinjet again and see if he's nearby."

"Pull up video on the main screen if you can," Steve said, coming to stand near Tony.

"Jay, buddy, let's see what we can do."

"Done sir," JARVIS responded, pulling up a grainy video feed. "Something is causing interference sir, though I cannot pinpoint exactly what it is," JARVIS said, almost sounding frustrated.

"He must have managed to find another one of the children," Thor said. 

"Fenrir," Tony agreed lowly. "It's a mountainous region... there's lots of volcanic and other seismic activity, and very remote in some areas. It would have been even more isolated when Fenrir was imprisoned there. There would be caves perfect for imprisoning a so-called monster there."

Thor nodded solemnly. "Yes, that does make sense."

"There was something just there," Steve said suddenly. 

"There," Natasha said pointing immediately after.

Five sets of eyes were trained on the grainy image. 

"That's not Clint," Sam pointed out. Despite the bad quality of the image, the figure was dark skinned, and in a blue suit. 

"Johnny Storm," Tony said bitingly. 

Natasha's eyes narrowed dangerously before standing up. "Is there an extra suit somewhere?"

Steve pointed to his bag hanging on the wall. "There should be something there for you. Charles gave it to me before we left."

Natasha nodded before heading over and grabbing the bag. She set it on the bench and pulled out a plain black skin-tight suit. It would have to do. She stripped out of her dirty clothes, grabbing a first aid kit out from where it was strapped to the bottom of the bench. She slid the jumpsuit on over her underclothes, stopping to rub cream on her arms, shoulders, and face as she went. She had to use the boots she was wearing, which wasn't ideal, but would work. 

Once she was changed she sat in one of the seats on the bench and strapped herself in. "Wake me up when we're half an hour out."

"Will do," one of the other's responded, but she was already out.

\---

When she woke up, everyone was strapping on their weapons. There was a set of pistols, a garrote-wire, and a set of good throwing knives. She checked each weapon carefully before strapping it on, but when she got to the knives, she noticed the worn handle and the slight off-balance to each one. These were James's throwing knives. Natasha looked for Steve as she strapped them carefully into place. 

"We don’t want you unprepared," Steve said with a shrug. Bucky just nodded from down the bench from her where he was calibrating his arm. 

Natasha nodded before turning and heading back to where Tony was multitasking with minute adjustments on one of his portable suits his eyes scanning the screen in front of him. 

"It's definitely Storm," Tony said as Natasha approached. "I emailed his sister. They haven't seen him since he went for a flight this morning. He can't keep his phone on him for obvious reasons, so he hasn't been in contact. Richards managed to track his suit to South America before I cut him off and told him exactly where is brother was."

"Hmm," Natasha responded. "What are we going in expecting?"

"I'm thinking pissed off kid. I'm hoping for Clint in one piece. I'm hoping between him and Storm there is enough brains to get them through."

"So we're expecting an angry kid?" Natasha confirmed. 

"Definitely. Thor says the closer we've gotten the more he can feel the spell unraveling. It wouldn't have been long until we had a rampaging wolf running through the Chilean countryside."

Natasha nodded, her face grim.

\---

When they landed, Tony went off to the Avenger's quinjet to turn off the tracking device and check on the state of the tech there. Hank went with him.

Thor took to the air for a vantage point, pointing the way for the rest. Natasha immediately headed off in the direction Thor indicated, expecting the worst. As she approached where Thor had pointed, she understood why they had only briefly seen Johnny just the one time, and why they hadn't heard from him again through any of the communication channels. Natasha could see Clint's phone off to the side, smashed. Johnny himself was sitting on the ground, hands at his side, looking non-threatening. As Natasha got closer, she could see why. A huge wolf was occupying the entrance of a cave. Below his massive paws, was Clint. He looked like he'd been there for a while. Johnny had probably sent the SOS that morning... meaning Clint had been convinced he was moments away from dying for hours. 

Natasha stopped while she was still a good distance away. "Johnny."

Fenrir's head snapped up, snarling. Natasha could see the weight shift, and could see the grimace on Clint's face. 

"Stay back," Johnny responded. "Just stay back."

Natasha could feel the others come up from behind her. 

"Well, this is a shit show," she heard Tony say from behind her. 

"Not helping Stark," Clint responded, his voice muffled and pained. 

 ** _“Silence!”_**  A dark voice rumbled.

Everyone looked to the wolf. Fenrir. 

"They're not here to hurt you. I'm not here to hurt you," Clint said. "We're here to help, like I told you."

**_“Yes, armed warriors are not here to harm me. An Asgardian isn't here to harm me! LIES!”_ **

"Fenrir, nephew," Thor began. "I have been sent by your father-"

**_“MY FATHER. HOW DARE YOU THOR, SON OF ODIN. HOW DARE YOU SPEAK OF MY FATHER. You are a traitor to your own family. A traitor to your blood!”_ **

"Nephew," Thor started again. "Please, we are only here to help."

Fenrir snarled dangerously. 

"Fenrir," a child's voice intoned from beside them. Fenrir's snarling stopped as he swung his head around in surprise. The girl's shape clouded, elongating, transforming into the shape of a young woman, half dead and half alive.

"... **_Hela_**?" Fenrir's body reached towards her, rattling the chains holding him. " ** _You are... Safe_**?"

"In a sense."

Fenrir snarled, his weight resting further on Clint's body where he lay still, frightened under one of Fenrir's massive paws.

“Hush, brother," Hela chastized as she approached, her dark green dress heavy against her legs.

"Lady Hel," Thor breathed. Fenrir strained against his chains as Hela approached him by passing the humans and Thor as she did.

" ** _You live_** ," Fenrir said in disbelief. " ** _And are free_**."

"As alive as I have ever been," Hela said ruefully. "But not yet free. That is why they are here," she continued gesturing to the humans and single Asgardian behind her and then at Clint at Fenrir's feet.

As the others looked on, Hel’s body tensed violently. She gritted her teeth in a silent snarl and whipped her head around to stare at an unseen foe. Fenrir and Thor jerked towards her, Fenrir’s body jolting his chains loudly, his weight shifting on Clint’s body causing him to groan audibly.

“ ** _Hela_**!"

"He thinks to harm me in _my realm_?" She breathed. She laughed. It sounded halfway between breathless from pain and disbelief, her body tensed for a fight.

Suddenly, her focus came back to them, and not her realm. "Brother," she demanded, catching him in a hard gaze. "Do you trust me?"

Fenrir gazed at her hard. " ** _Of course_**."

"Then trust me when I say they wish you no harm. Our uncle and his friends are here to help you. This man," she gestured to Clint still prone on the ground, "is here to help."

Fenrir locked gazes with her, and Hela took the few steps towards him. Fenrir searched her face then looked towards the gathered Avengers, and Mutants.

He sidestepped away from Clint and Hela took the last step towards him, her dead hand rising to touch her brother's jaw.

"When next we meet, you will be warm, happy, healthy, and safe." There was no doubt in her voice.

Tony knew that anyone who hurt her brothers would suffer in life and death for the consequences.

“ ** _How can I trust_ him _?!_** ” Fenrir snarled, indicating to Thor.

Hela leaned in close to him whispering, “Trust _me_. Now you be good,” before leaning to kiss him on the snout. As she did, Fenrir’s eyes closed, and he dropped weightlessly to the side.

She stood and turned to the others gathered. "He will remain asleep for a few hours. It should be enough time to return him to our brother’s side. I must go. I have an All Father who thinks he controls me to prove wrong."

"Be safe, Hela," Thor said seriously.

Hela's smirk grew. "He knows not what power I have Uncle. He will regret his foolishness."

"Give the bastard hell, kid," Tony said.

"Oh, it shall be Hell Mister Stark," she snarled. She then addressed the wider group. "Fret not about me; worry about my father and Sleipnir next. I will be able to freely leave my realm after tonight. Odin's control is hanging on by a thread now." She turned to Thor. "After tonight... He will punish Father dearly."

Thor's hand clenched.

"Fear not Uncle, you will have support in Asgard." With one last look over her shoulder at her brother, her form disappeared without any theatrics.

\---

"Come on," Clint whinged from the back of the quinjet where he was strapped down, immobile beside James. "I always drive!"

"You lost your driving privileges when you got blown up," Natasha called from the pilot's seat, Sam in the co-pilot seat beside her.

“Aw, Nat, no!” Clint pouted.

“You’re not winning this one pal,” James commented from beside him.

Clint just groaned, frustrated, in response.

James pulled out his phone, ignoring Clint’s whinging from beside him.

 

To Kate:  
From  _unknown number_ :

ETA 4 hours.

 

To  _unknown number_ :  
From Kate: 

Good. Tol’ko misses you. [ _picture attatchment_ ]

 

To Kate:  
From  _unknown number_ : 

Heads up, C got himself blown up.

 

To _unknown number_ :  
From Kate:

Nat with you?

 

From _unknown number_ :  
To Kate:

Yes. He’s being punished already. [ _picture attachment_ ]

 

Kate opened the attachment and saw Clint strapped immobile in the plane, a full neck brace on, his arms wrapped in bandages, his face bruised.

 

To _unknown number_ :  
From Kate:

HA! He hates not driving! Good. I’m withholding pizza from him for a week. He can eat real food, like vegetables.

 

James couldn’t help but laugh out loud as he read that.

Steve looked up at him from where he was seated across the aisle. “What’s so funny?”

“Clint here is in trouble,” James said smirking, as he thumbed a response back to Kate.

“Huh? With who?” Clint exclaimed.

“Katie.”

“You didn’t!”

James looked down at him innocently. “Do what?”

“Aw, Bucky, no!”

Steve snorted. “Yeah, that’ll just make him more insufferable.”

“You deserved it punk,” James responded, continuing to text. “He deserves having pizza banned now.”

“What?”

“Kate is banning pizza for a week,” James replied shrugging.

Clint sobbed quietly to himself. “I am going to starveeeeee! What about Lucky?!”

“He can have my pizza,” Natasha called from the cockpit.

“That is unfair!”

“Life isn’t fair Clint,” Natasha said seriously.

“Anyone who says differently is selling something,” chimed Sam.

Steve and James turned their heads in unison and looked at them confused.

Clint lay beside James pouting.  “Why am I being punished?”

“If it’s any consolation, we’re never leaving you alone again, especially if you have access to any form of transportation,” Sam replied.

“Wait! What?! Why?!” Clint screech indignantly.

“Yes, I’ve even arranged an occasional baby sitter,” Natasha said.

“Aw, Nat, no!” Clint whinged.

“Who’d you find to babysit so soon?” James asked.

“Oh an old fling of mine,” Natasha replied.

“THE BLIND LAWYER?!” Clint exclaimed. “No, please anyone but him Nat,” Clint pleaded.

“A blind lawyer?” Steve questioned skeptically.

“Oh trust me, Clint knows he wouldn’t get away with anything under Matt’s watchful eyes.”

“Ha!” Clint laughed bitterly. “He’s a demon, a menace.”

“Devil,” Natasha corrected.

Clint scowled and didn’t reply.

\---

Bonus Content:

 

 

To: M Murdock  
From: N Romanova

I have a job for you.

 

To: N Romanova  
From: M Murdock

If you killed someone I’m not helping you. I only defend the innocent.

 

To: M Murdock  
From: N Romanova

It’s a baby sitting job. I have an injured idiot over in Bed Stuy. I need an extra pair of eyes to keep an eye on him.

 

To: N Romanova  
From: M Murdock

I’m supposed to make the blind jokes. Are you asking me to send Karen and Foggy to watch him?

 

To: M Murdock  
From: N Romanova

I need your eyes. He just took flame-face and went for a joyride to South America and almost got himself eaten buy Thor’s nephew.

 

To: M Murdock  
From: N Romanova

I’ve already sent you payment. Unlike some of your other clients, I don’t pay in baked goods.

 

Matt heard Karen’s sharp inhale from the front desk. He got up from his desk, walking through to the front room.

“How much did she send?”

Karen looked up sharply. “What?”

“How much did the new client send us?” Matt grinned.

“We just received a deposit for $7000 dollars with the promise of another $7000 at the end of the week if the, and I quote, “The idiot manages to not sneak out of a window during the whole week.””

Matt’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, she was serious. Clint must have really hurt himself this time.”

“Clint?” 

“A friend of a friend,” Matt answered. “We’ve been hired to babysit him and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. His partner has a government job and can’t take time off to keep an eye on him… she promised we’d be compensated accordingly for our time.”

“She’s paying us nearly $2000 dollars a day Matt,” Karen said.

“Trust me, we’ll earn it,” Matt sighed. “Clint is an asshole. He doubles as a superhero on the side.”

“We’re… babysitting a superhero?”

“We’re babysitting an injured and completely human man-child. He hates being grounded. It’s not going to be easy. My friend’s warning about the windows was serious.”

Matt could feel Karen’s stare on him as he pulled out his phone.

 

To: N Romanova  
From: M Murdock

When do we start?

 

To: M Murdock  
From: N Romanova

I’ll drop him by your office later. The groceries to feed him will be in your fridge tonight. Thanks Matt. I appreciate it.

 

To: N Romanova  
From: M Murdock

I’ll keep two eyes on him. He won’t be getting out of my sight.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized I have parts of Chapter 9 and chapter 11 already written. Chapter Ten... I have the notes written out for. So... that was a good find. 
> 
> Keep an eye out for "James, Kate and the Cat" which will be another installment in either the series, or a chapter in Nadine's. It's also been a work in progress for a while. 
> 
> Thanks again everyone, hasta pronto!


End file.
